Women in Bucks and Montgomery Counties are invited to take advantage of reduced ticket pricing and a ride on one of several buses headed for a matinee showing of the Tony Award winning Broadway musical, “Suffs,” at the Music Box Theater in New York City on September 14.
The show focuses on the final push for women’s voting rights from 1913 to 1920 when women were often denied basic rights, including the right to vote, own property, or receive an education. The production underscores the power of collective action and persistence in achieving social change, offering valuable lessons for modern activism and civic engagement.
Co-produced by Hillary Clinton and Malala Yousafzai, the show highlights key figures such as Alice Paul, Ida B. Wells, and Carrie Chapman Catt, showcasing their struggles, conflicts, and ultimate triumph in securing the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that allows women to vote.
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“Suffs” not only educates audiences about the suffragists’ fight but also draws parallels to ongoing struggles for equality and representation in contemporary society.
Two of the event organizers, Sue Ann DiVito, a local realtor and co-chair of the Jenkintown Democrats, along with Bucks County’s Barbara Simmons, who served as the executive director of The Peace Center for over 30 years have both seen the musical.
Simmons texted Divito and said “We have to get a bus together. We need to put together young women and seasoned women to talk about what rights they had, they lost, they’re going to lose, and listen to one another’s stories.”
When asked why she found the show invigorating, DiVito said, “I could go on and on about this. But in this moment, it spoke to my soul because to look back and see the fight that it took yeah to get our right to vote, which was years before we had that right. And now we’ve only had that right for 100 years.
A 30-minute panel coordinated by Georgetown Law will take place following the show, and includes the musical’s lead Shaina Taub, Columbia Law School’s Director of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) Project Ting Ting Chen, Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Gender Policy Council Jennifer Klein, among others.
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Women today should care about “Suffs” and the history it represents for several reasons. First, it serves as a reminder of the hard-fought battle for basic rights that many now take for granted. Understanding this history can inspire a renewed commitment to protecting and expanding these rights. Second, the show highlights the intersectionality of the suffrage movement, including the often-overlooked contributions of women of color, which resonates with current discussions on inclusivity and representation. Finally, “Suffs” underscores the power of collective action and persistence in achieving social change, offering valuable lessons for modern activism and civic engagement.
Tickets for the show will be available through August 25 and are going fast. Event goers are asked to purchase tickets now. Contact information for the organizers is also available for those with questions.
